Chance of dry lightning, gusty winds in Southern California

Forecasters said there’s a chance of dry lightning and gusty winds in the Los Angeles area Saturday afternoon as a moist, unstable air mass moves in from the Gulf of Mexico.

The National Weather Service advised hikers to stay out of dry washes or arroyos, even though the threat of flash flooding was minimal.

“There could be some gusty winds of 35 to 40 mph, and of course, any time there is lightning in the area … if thunder roars, go indoors,” said National Weather Service meteorologist David Sweet.

The weather service warned mariners that waterspouts are possible, especially near islands off the California coast.

A few lightning strikes have already been observed by the National Weather Service station in San Diego, but most of the rain has been minuscule, evaporating before it hits the ground because of a dry layer of air below the storm.

Forecasters said the threat of lightning is expected to move out of the area by Saturday night.

Looking into next week, temperatures will begin to rise, with the San Gabriel and San Fernando valleys seeing highs approach the 90s by Tuesday, while the Los Angeles County beaches will see highs in the 70s.

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